THE MEANS FOR THE GOAL?

A sister is Islam wrote to me reminding me that calling Allah for other worldly matters is not abhorred, and hence we cannot take the verse Ud’uni Astajib lakum (call "ME" and I shall respond to your call) [40:60] to signify that we should always call Allah for Allah. I would like to thank her, and remind the readers that although the literal connotation of the verse is what we had discussed previously, the reality is that there is nothing wrong is seeking other than Allah for Allah. Many of us have the tendency to seek our selfish needs when it comes to supplication. Very few think about the fundamental aim behind creation which is to attain the proximity of Allah. And a substantial number of us do not consider whether the need is “a means” for the fundamental goal behind their creation, or a satisfaction of a material attachment that is firmly rooted in themselves even if it is be spiritually dangerous. Hence we must try to make our supplications meaningful. Whether we directly ask for other needs or Allah, the goal should always be “Him”. If we seek a long life, wealth, position, etc. it must be “for Allah’s obedience, worship, and proximity”. Therefore the crux of the issue is to fundamentally seek Allah. And this is realized either by seeking the MEANS such as health, wealth, marriage, etc. so that one can attain Divine proximity, or directly ALLAH Himself. In some supplications, we are taught to seek “THE MEANS of THE GOAL” while in others we are taught to seek “THE GOAL” directly. An example of the former is: “Waj’al yaa Rabbi Rizqaka li waasi’an…” (So provide me, O my Lord, with an extensive provision….” [‘Isha Du’a: Mafatih al-Jinan]. An example of the latter is: ‘O Allah I ask you for that beauty of Yours which is the most beautiful, and every beauty of Yours is the most beautiful, O Allah I ask you by Your entire beauty” [Supplication of Sahar: Mafatih al-Jinaan]. Hence we should not misconceive and surmise that it is improper to seek other than Allah from Allah, even if it be the means that assist us in approaching His neighborhood. May the Almighty enable all of us to journey to and achieve perfection.